Could a soap opera like Dark Shadows survive today (daytime or nighttime)?

Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming -
Wow! What a ride!

I think the era of the soap opera is over. There are a lot less in the daytime and they are all gone from prime time. I don't expect the revival of Dallas to survive. So perhaps a mini series with distinct stories might work; but not a traditional soap for Dark Shadows.

Viewers frequently have regular programs that they watch every week, even though most are stand alone episodes. I usually am upset if I watch a show only to find out at the end that it is "to be continued", but it might be different if I knew going in that it would be continued at a later date. The 90s prime time DS fell victim to circumstances that had nothing to do with the show itself. It might have had a different outcome if it hadn't been pre-empted and shifted about the way it was.

As pointed out during the tidbits, daytime soaps are dying off, partly because fewer people are home during the day. On the other hand, there are so many ways to save a show to watch later, having fewer viewers available during the daytime may not be the complete answer to the demise of soaps. I think the subject matter would probably need major updating to be popular. In spite of the popularity of "reality" TV I think viewers want their dramas to be a little more sophisticated than soaps have typically been.

Liz wrote:Well, I'm curious what you classify as a primetime soap. It's obvious that Dallas was one.

But isn't Parenthood, Grays Anatomy.....even Revenge?

I don't watch any of those shows. Do they have a continuing story line from one show to the next or are the episodes stand-alone? I don't know what shadowy thinks, to me a "soap" is relationship-centered rather than having the plot drive the show. When I think of the daytime soaps I watched at one time, it seemed like the storyline was secondary to the relationships involved, and there was a lot more talking than action. So in a show like Criminal Minds, while the characters are mainly the same and there are some continuing threads involved in their relationships, the show is primarily about the crimes committed and how the team solves them and most of the time it is one case has a beginning middle and end in one show; the next week, a separate crime is tackled in its totality. In a show like Dallas, the story lines never wrapped up at the end of an episode and we were way more interested in what happened between JR and Sue Ellen than what went on in the oil business.

I think the shows that Liz listed could be considered as soapish, but not in the tradidional sense. There are continuous plot lines and stories about relationships but higher production values. Actually some of the plot can get a bit far fetched! I'm kind of surprised that after or during the popularity of Twilight, etc., we didn't see anything pop up on tv. Or maybe there was and I was unaware?

Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming -

I think the look of a "soap" has changed. They are focused more toward younger audiences now. Shows like Beveryly Hills 90210, Dawson's Creek, Grey's Anatomy, Gilmore Girls, Gossip Girls, One Tree Hill, etc....seem to focus on teen/young love more than the adult soaps of yesteryear. From what I can tell, these new shows have all the drama, back stabbing, betrayal, cheating, soul searching, who's baby?, etc., just in a high school or college setting. Or teens and parents dealing with teen issues.

As for Dark Shadows knock-offs, I would think True Blood, Supernatural, The Vampire Diaries, Buffy the Vampire Slayer all resemble the goth/gore element, while updating the story lines to modern times. And teen issues....

I have no idea how I survived my teen years without all of these problems.

SnoopyDances wrote:Of course, this is the main reason I don't watch much TV anymore.

That is true for me as well. You will notice in that list of very popular shows that Liz mentioned I have never watched a single episode of any of them, although I am familiar with the names of the shows. I have a short list of shows that are 'appointment television' for me and from time to time I will have the television on in the afternoon if I happen to be in the vicinity. But mostly I spend my time in front of the computer screen.

SnoopyDances wrote:I think the look of a "soap" has changed. They are focused more toward younger audiences now. Shows like Beveryly Hills 90210, Dawson's Creek, Grey's Anatomy, Gilmore Girls, Gossip Girls, One Tree Hill, etc....seem to focus on teen/young love more than the adult soaps of yesteryear. From what I can tell, these new shows have all the drama, back stabbing, betrayal, cheating, soul searching, who's baby?, etc., just in a high school or college setting. Or teens and parents dealing with teen issues.

As for Dark Shadows knock-offs, I would think True Blood, Supernatural, The Vampire Diaries, Buffy the Vampire Slayer all resemble the goth/gore element, while updating the story lines to modern times. And teen issues....

I have no idea how I survived my teen years without all of these problems.

Of course, this is the main reason I don't watch much TV anymore.

Here is link to popular TV shows to give you some ideas...

Oh dear! Revenge isn't on here at all. Not good. That is my favorite TV show.

I think soap operas have evolved over the years. They are not just about relationships anymore. They all include adventurous story lines. I like to think that started with General Hospital and the international spy adventures (spurred by Luke & Laura), then to the mob, then into social/political storylines (AIDS, etc.), but still into the mob.

And I think that is what Dark Shadows had that the others didn't.....the exciting adventurous/futuristic/gothic storylines.

You can't judge a book by its cover.

The only thing that matters is the ending. It's the most important part of the story.